Video Premiere: Ane Brun – “One” (live at l’Alhambra Paris)

Norwegian singer-songwriter Ane Brun is full of surprises — whether it’s the non-promoted release of her recent Rarities collection (hot on the heels of the May release of Songs – 2003 to 2013) or her adoption of various musical guises to sate her often disparate tonal inclinations. Infusing her folk-pop stylings with a brashness and creative drive that pushes her musical muse to cross over into various other genres, she rarely sits still for very long and often finds herself straddling the borders between aesthetics and rhythmic tendencies. This is especially true when discussing Brun’s live performances, and their predilection for swinging wildly between stripped down, guitar-led narratives and more grandiose pop theatrics.

Recently, Brun stopped off at l’Alhambra Paris, and with a backing band in tow, she wound her way through a career spanning collection of songs, including the beautifully crystalline “One.” Directed by Valerie Toumayan, the show captured the otherworldly beauty and grace of Brun’s music. Clad in billowing white clothes, Brun strode back and forth across the stage, arms contorting and voice unfurling out toward the audience — her ethereal presence enhanced by the haunting strings and gossamer arrangements of the band behind her. Dancing among a series of blinking lights and constantly shifting shadows, she seemed a ghost lost in its own hazy glow. Carefully working her way within the music, she stepped lightly across the piano, strings, and thudding percussion until she found herself at the heart of the song, a place where doubts are cast aside and her radiant voice begins to break apart the shadows surrounding the listener.

Beats Per Minute is pleased to premiere the live video for “One,” taken from Ane Brun’s recent performance at l’Alhambra Paris.